Clam Cakes

Clam cakes are deep fried clam patties whose ingredients include
chopped clams, flour, eggs, and more. Sometimes
clam juice, milk, baking
powder or soda and other ingredients are added. You will probably
encounter them only in Maine, Massachusetts, and Maine, and sometimes
the term Rhode Island Clam Cakes is used in Rhode Island and even
Southern Mass.

The batter can also be
pan fried in usually butter, creating a clam pancake but I greatly prefer
these deep fried as do most people I’ve asked. The term clam fritters is
sometimes used but always ask what this means before ordering as it can have
different interpretations!

When frying them in oil, the traditional preparation, in
Maine the batter is formed into hamburger shaped patties. You do not want
them too thick so they will cook easily and evenly throughout. Once they
float flip them over so both sides brown and once they have they are ready
to eat! I like them as is but many people add tartar sauce or ketchup as
well. In Rhode Island and nearby, they are more likely to have a blob or
fritter shape than a hamburger shape.

My favorite clam cakes come from Kens Seafood on Pine
Point Road in Scarborough Maine, right up the street from my house. See the
picture to the left. My old
friend Jake (a nickname) ran it for years and many friends worked there.
Nancy S would often work until close and would bring any leftover clam cakes
back for us to eat. We always joked about calling in fake orders near
closing time so that there would be many extras, but I don’t think we ever
did that!

Some people think of Clam Cakes as a poor man’s dish, as
the clams are certainly extended by the batter. I do prefer
fried clams in
general, although they are more expensive and much more caloric, but I would
never give up the occasional clam cake! Sometimes clam cakes are more
suitable. I wouldn't want a late night fried clam snack a they are too dense
and caloric, but a late night clam cake snack rocks!

Beware of “Clam’s Cakes” in England. They are made by a
place called “Clams” and are an ordinary cake – no clam in them at all.
Reputedly pretty good, I would rather have a real clam cake as I’m not a
dessert guy.

Clam cakes can be sold as “stand up” appetizers, for
example from stands near the Block Island , Ferry in Rhode Island, or as sit
down meals complete with fries and coleslaw as in my favorite places in
Maine. They can also be put on a bun much like a hamburger and dressed up
however you would like, although some people find the idea of cheese on a
clam cake annoying, or even used as a base for a Eggs Benedict Style
breakfast.